This invention relates generally to an assembly for combining an auxiliary cooking appliance, such as a microwave oven, with a vent hood used in association with a cooking range of the traditional type.
One such assembly known in the prior art is the so-called Hi-Low range manufactured by the General Electric Company which is a unitary structure having a traditional electric range mounted in a lower portion and a microwave oven mounted in an upper portion. A vent hood assembly for the traditional electric range is formed above the microwave oven with an inlet port located above the front of the microwave oven. As a result, gases and vapors generated while cooking on the traditional range rise and are drawn upward across the front face of the microwave oven and into the range vent inlet port. Should the microwave oven be operated while such cooking gases and vapors are rising from the electric range across the front face of the former, a portion of these moisture and grease laden gases and vapors may be drawn into the microwave oven ventilating system, the inlet port to which is typically located in the bottom of the microwave housing. In such an event, the electronic components of the microwave oven can become contaminated with grease, vapors and other gaseous cooking products generated by the electric range below.
In addition, while combination products of the above general type have been known in the art, they have generally been larger than desirable. Specifically, prior art combination oven and exhaust vent structures have projected outwardly from the mounting wall to an extent which substantially obstructs an average user's view of the range or cooking appliance located therebelow. This is more particularly true where the range has its controls located in the rear thereof.
Our invention substantially overcomes these and other prior art difficulties.